3 Feet High and Rising

I liked the song change in speak. Just not sure when I would ever listen to this again.

This project is prodding me toward becoming a mini 90's hiphiphead. Why are they all so good? This def wandered off the path sometimes but always came back, beep-bapping with just the right mix of serious and wonky. Color me a fan.

Oh, De La Soul, you were so close. This is such a fantastic album. The rapping is terrific and the production is just magnificent. It's so lush and rich. I'm glad I'm getting this on a Friday, so I can spend the weekend listening to it. I wanted so badly to give this 5 stars. This was so close to being an inner-circle 5 star, too. There is just too much fat on the album. The skit-ish tracks are completely superfluous and break you out of the flow of the album. Why did you add them, De La Soul?

Started well enough - "oh yeah, fun, funky" - but then fell off for me. I found myself checking the tracklist/remaining time and kinda hoping it ends, so that I can listen to something I actually like. A bit obnoxious at times, presumably to be provocative etc - nothing wrong with that, but not really to my liking for actual listening. I can see myself rating it higher in the future upon a hypothetical re-listen, and it feels harsh giving it 2/5, but I cannot go against the intuitive feelings I'm feelin' right now - I didn't have fun, I found it annoying at times, and I wanted it to end. At most I'd give it 3/5 since it can be kinda fun to listen to in the background, but eh... If more tracks were like the first one (3 is...), I'd be more inclined to end on a positive note.

You can tell how much fun the group had making this album. It oozes charisma the whole way through. You can hear how influential it is by bringing fun hip hop to the forefront of popularity, especially in a time when a lot of hip hop was starting to become gritty and edgier. Well worth a listen and a spot on this list. Some of the skits got tiring though, and even judging purely on the tracks there were a couple of skips, but even then the songs were merely a bit boring but certainly not terrible.

I mean, beats are nice. 1.75

Staan paar heerlijke nummers op

The very best hip hop album ever conceived. 100/5.

A masterclass in sampling.

Here we go again, another hip-hop album... and I am delighted to say I actually liked this one. Not to the extreme to love it, not to say I found it quite interesting. But it is cohesive, funny, some songs are pretty good, and I love how it flows, it almost feels short with all those interludes and changes between songs. It is not repetitive at all, and that is my main critique to hip-hop, so, well done. It is a hip-hop album I can actually like and enjoy listening to.

Really strong record, good vibes all round. Favourite tracks: Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge), Eye Know, Say No Go, Me Myself and I (absolute banger).

Bon album de la rap, les instrus sont vraiment chouettes et l'ambiance dans tout l'album nous donne vraiment l'impression d'entendre trois potes qui s'amusent. Juste pas obligé de mimer une orgie sur une minute.

WYD "I can hold two pieces of doo doo in my hand"???? Like yes, yes you can, but maYBE NO??

Really like this album. Just so much fun. Doesn’t sound as dated as a lot of hip hop records from this era

cutting through the cheese in this is like trying to grate parmesan rind. could tell they have great chemistry and probably had a blast recording this but the 80s style flow is just so dated to me. way too much filler too. some cool beats

De la Soul, klassikoiden klassikko. Paitsi vasta seuraava albumi De la Soul is dead. Tämä on vieraampi (olen ollut ilmestyessä 12 v) paitsi toki Me myself and I. Kuitenkin, De la Soul -soundi on jo tällä albumilla ja se saa aikaan hyvin vahvat notalgiavibat. Ehkä kuitenkin juuri nostalgian ansiosta 3/5. 3/5

The old school beats and flow are bringing me back to a simpler time, but the subject matter is so juvenile it's keeping this album from climbing too high for me. Fun but dated.

Ok

Всегда сложно писать рецензии на подобные легендарные альбомы рэпа. С одной стороны, первоклассные биты, весёлая атмосфера, прорывное звучание для своего времени, а с другой, 20+ треков, ни один из которых не чувствуется цельным, к тому же они ещё и похожи все друг на друга. Да, это хороший альбом, мне было приятно его послушать, но я вряд ли послушаю его второй раз. Лучшая песня: Eye Know

(Light 9/10) A very fun record with superb highlights and a kind of witty lyricism and "out there" chemistry that was very predictive of the conscious hip hop sub genre. For me the skits kind of chop up the album flow in a way that isn't very flattering to the project overall, but when it's good it's VERY good.

otprilike kao kad si na kavi sa skupinom ljudi koji se međusobno odavno znaju. ti si ih upoznao relativno nedavno, nasamo je svatko od njih okej i nije ti nimalo neugodno s nekim od njih jedan na jedan, ali kad su skupa, razgovor se većinski kreće unutar okvira njihovih prastarih internih fora koje ti nisu baš jasne, neugodno ti je jer pola toga ne razumiješ i jer su pojedine interne fore bez konteksta u biti dosta krindž. nakon kave s olakšanjem odahneš jer je gotovo. tako je meni bilo s pjesmama i skitovima na ovom albumu

Still one of the best hip hop albums around. It could have more highs, but the flow and the ambience makes a consistent album nonetheless.

8/10 According to Wikipedia this album is on a bunch of those "best albums of all time" lists - and you know what? I believe it. The music isn't really my kind of thing (I'm just not an 80s/90s hiphop lover), but it's so radically it's own thing that I can't help but enjoy it. There are a lot of interesting samples, the beats are way different than those of their contemporaries, and it's just a good time all around. What a fun discovery.

Dig the vibe

De La Soul's debut is brighter and more lively than most other 80s hip hop, with lush, layered beats bursting with samples. This results in some incredible songs, with "The Magic Number" and "Eye Know" at the top. Even lesser songs like "Tread Water" show how fun and loose the group could be. Unfortunately, this album is also ahead of its time for another reason: it's packed with pointless skits. The game show sketches are not funny nor creative, and the longer interludes add even less. And as innovative as this is, it's clear there are still some growing pains; some of the tracks feel a little clunky or stilted, with the samples not quite working together, and the rapping similarly doesn't always flow well. A very important and influential album but not one that's held up terribly well.

love this one — previously listened

Bacana

Not my style, it was fine but nothing overly well done for me

Possibly the greatest sample driven hip hop record of the era. Plus psychedelic grooves that are unmatched.

Cant stand this hip hop

Wanted to like this more than I did just because I love and respect what they stand for as a group. This ultimately felt a bit bloated in parts to me, but I did enjoy most of it. The highs on this album are undeniably great. Feeling a 3/5 on this one for me personally.

Classic rap. Just saw them open for Erykah Badu, it was great! Legendary hip-hop

It's not Tribe Called Quest but it's pretty cool.

A perfect bland of pop and hip-hop. Absolute classic.

Not bad hip hop - quite amusing, but ultimately not enough to hold attention

Gold

I didn't expect how good and whimsical it was. Very interesting sound and samples.

Kinda like it, kinda dont

I recall listening to this in my friend Ed Ross' house and being intrigued by the superb samples and plain odd lyrics. Now, the beats and rhymes will always be second to Tribe, but it's an album I'll always enjoy coming back to. Compared to pretty much all rap since, it's so wholesome - not much swearing, plenty of Daisy Age aphorisms, a bit of daft humour, and some childish insults about BO. I can just about tolerate the skits now, like annoying old friends, although I could definitely do without the Orgy skit (these guys were supposed to be the conscious ones?!). There's so much for the sampling trainspotter to enjoy - and if this was a golden age, it was for copyright lawyers retrospectively claiming millions off poor old De La. When they made it the label didn’t think that really had to clear the samples because they only expected the album to sell a couple of thousand anyway! Because of this, for a long time it was unavailable on Spotify - and for some of the songs have been remade to avoid legal issues. Things have gone a bit far when "Eye Know" is partially credited to Otis Redding in the Spotify credits, but I have this record to thank for being a gateway to some great tunes - I can still remember being struck at King's Event by Bob Dorough's original of "Three is The Magic Number" - and to this day I prefer it to the De La Soul remake. Some of the tunes are just perfect - "Say No Go" is peak hip-hop in 1991.

Aha now I know where that irritating ring signal comes from (Three is the magic number)! "Tread Water" and "Say No Go" are actually something I can enjoy, funkylicious!

A strange charming hour. I can see this being a blueprint for weird kid suburban rap to come.

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Robert Christgau wrote that La Soul’s “3 Feet High And Rising” stands out from all other hip-hop albums. I don’t agree with that: To me, it sounds just like any other hip-hop album. In fact, the beats and the overall swag are above average for a hip-hop group. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good album by any means. For its genre, however, it’s perfectly tolerable.

Not bad, but not my jam

Divertido, mas não é minha praia. Dificilmente escutarei de novo e não teria feito falta se não tivesse ouvido.

The sound of organic and playful creativity that isn't concerned with the listener, in the best kind of way. De La Soul couldn't fathom that so many people would hear, and love, this record, to the point that they didn't even bother to clear all the samples, inadvertently making the record all but inaccessible for literal decades. As a result, it's not a perfect album. There are plenty of moments that should have been left on the cutting room floor, but the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach is part of its charm. The kaleidoscopic production is on another skill level. Prince Paul stakes his claim to being the best sampling producer of all time with bizarre combinations of samples that are greater than the sum of their parts, resulting in day-glo Frankensteins that could never appear in nature.

Art rap, progressive rap, jazz rap, psychedelic hip hop, sampledelia.

An album I wanted to listen for a while but just forgot. So thats nice. I love the cover of this album. Its one of the most fun album ive ever listened too. The skits are funny, the lyrics are great. The heavy usage of sampling is the best part of it. It sounds so unique. Not every songs is great but the good songs are so good. Also theres a lot of skits wich make it difficult to rate. De La 4/5

Old school. Great album

It’s a shame that some people can only hear the “I’ve got doo doo in my pocket” lines and think that’s all this album amounts to. Those lines are actually hilariously ridiculous and have an actual point anyways (making a group chant “doo doo” in call and response is a funny send up). But there is also ridiculous lyrical depth and creativity in this album, including the creation of a whole world out of which to position their view. And it is deeply creative musically. These guys were 18/19 years old when they wrote these words, and Prince Paul brought out the best in them. This is a work of genius, actually.

Corny and dated.

Not as bad as I thought it would be, but it’s still too long.

First time listening: Songs are great, the skits in between are mostly skippable, like the fun laid-back feel. Favourite tracks: 3 is (the magic number) Change in speak Jenifa taught me (Derwin's revenge) Me myself and I

Some fun hip hop and rap on here. An enjoyable listen

Hmm. It wasn't bad or vulgar sounding music like some of the hip-hop my regretful ears have been subjected to around here. Despite that, I didn't care for it. Next.

If you ask me, 1 is the magic number.

nah

Just iconic hip hop. I feel like o know every word of every track and skit. An absolute amusement park ride of a record in the best possible way.

I’ve seen De La Soul live and they were excellent, with the exact right energy that you want to hype up a crowd. This album does feel very 80s by modern hip hop standards, but it still has an element of classic hip hop beats. Sadly, this album is far too long and could have done with being half the length. Having a select few solid tracks would have made the album stronger, but 3 bangers out of 23 tracks is a bit lackluster. An 8-track album would have been better here. 5/10

I'm at constant odds with this album. The main songs of this album are really good and really deserve a great four-star record. Unfortunately between the skits and the interludes, and there are a lot of them, it really just drags me out. I know that is a consistent rap trope in the 80s and 90's, but half the time if it's not about the music it just pulls me out. Some of the interludes we're just straight up silly, and that really pulled me out of the flow as well. But at the core it's a really great album but I can't quite get it to the four star. 7.7 ★★★½

Very enjoyable hiphop record. 4.5 stars

This album is to hip-hop what Revolver was to rock music. It changed the rules of the genre and expanded the possibilities. Prince Paul's dense layered sampling is a work of art in itself and it's aged like a fine wine. It would sound as amazing today as it did in 1989. But, a lot of credit goes to De La Soul too. Their flow is much improved over the rappers that came before them and the lyrical content is full of social consciousness, but also brings a lot of fun too. To me, this is a super joyful album. My day improves when I hear these songs. Even the skits are fun. Highlights include "3 is the Magic Number", "Plug Tunin'", "Buddy", "Say No Go", "Me Myself & I", and the incredible "Eye Know". 5 stars.

The Please Please Me of psychedelic hip hop. Not quite Revolver as there’s only about 3 or so great tracks tops but they are really ultra spiffing greatly awesome tracks that are still the best of what the genre has to offer and very much sound evergreen, joyous and essential just like how Love Me Do, I Saw Her Standing There and Twist & Shout do on Please Please Me. Like on Please Please Me there’s a lot of material outside of the obvious big hit singles that just isn’t as up to the same snuff and just feels a bit dated and dull in comparison. Also some lame game show skits that to its credit the original Please Please Me didn’t have. With those skits removed this actually feels more like a double album version of the Please Please Me of psychedelic hip hop or even a triple album version because the back half of this sure does drag. Still a classic though this here Please Please Me Plug One Plug Two Plug One Plug Two.

Such a vibe it’s one part rap, one part sampling, and one part joy. I’m so happy it’s finally cleared some hurdles to be available widely

De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising was fun, energetic, and considerably lighter fare than some of the gangster rap we’ve also been subjected to on this list. While I’m still not a fan of skit filler on rap or hip-hop albums, these actually seemed to fit the overall theme and vibe De La Soul were going for rather than feeling like pointless padding. The runtime is still a little longer than my personal preference when it comes to rap and hip-hop, but there was something undeniably enjoyable about this record. More than anything, 3 Feet High and Rising felt like a very specific time capsule of 1989, and nostalgia played a surprisingly important role in my enjoyment of it. That became especially apparent when “Me Myself and I” started playing. Sometimes an album doesn’t just remind you of a particular time—it reminds you of what it felt like to be there.

A quirky and enjoyable ride with one of the more interesting hip-hop groups of the 90s. They always seemed to be very self-aware and playful and coupled that with an IDGAF attitude. Good stuff here.

The album is so gosh darn long. But it’s full of bangers and intensely creative. Undeniable impact and fun. The actual raps and rhymes are, however, much less exciting than latter day wordsmiths, and as such less stimulating.

Classic album, De la Soul earned their place in the books of hiphop but there are several others i hold higher from this era.

good

FIVE!!!!!

sagged a little in the middle but incredible debut sound

Skits

A few decent tracks with good beats to them, but too much filler and no sense on album that would have been better if shortened a bit. Not a repeat for me.

Užas. 1/5,1/10

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Cool cool cool

Easily one of my favourite albums. So beautifully crafted with perfect sampling. The rapping is tight and engaging, the slots are actually worth listening to and are comical, even after endless listens. Dr La Soul were easily one of my favourite rap groups as a teenager and we're insanely consistent for 15 years or so. I've been lucky enough to see them live a couple of times and they were genuine and humble and fun. I've huge respect for their music and craft, hate that they went over 30 years of arguments over these samples and with Tommy Boy records and missed out on an audience to the degree that they deserved. RIP Dave

It’s a fun album! Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: Eye Know

Prince Paul is such a weirdo. Whole album's weird. Like not just a pioneering hip hop album, but a genuinely off-the-wall record that's truly doing its own thing. I don't think the oddball quality of this album gets acknowledged enough. And while it's obvious they're all out-there peeps, it's Prince Paul who's steering the ship here. It's great when odd art forges new paths. All that said, it's not an album I really ever put on.

Another album that played a seminal role in my musical education. It was so good to roll back the years listening to this, all the hits you know and love all present and correct - 3 Is The Magic Number, Eye Know, Say No Go, My Myself and I are all still banging today. Now, there's more filler than a bathroom tiling job, and more samples than a hospital laboratory, but honestly it doesn't really matter, they're having fun, and you'll surely have fun with them. Loved it from beginning to end.

Знову реп? Це були прикольні чуваки)

This album kicks ass. The Magic Number is such a fucking bop, and this album switches between silly sketch comedy, genuinely catchy hip-hop songs, and some more fantastic bops constantly. This feels like an album everyone involved in is having a blast making. Really enjoyed it.

There was a time when I would have been dead against the samples on this album. “Why can’t they make their own music” would have been the cry. Well times have changed and so did I. A great album. Fun, sonically diverse. I can hear how it influenced bands like Avalanches who I also love. My only negative would be it’s possibly a bit longer than it needs to be. Still 5/5

Exceptional debut, so glad it’s finally on streaming so more people can discover the magic of de la

Well, god damn! Two hip-hop classics back-to-back? I'm not complaining! De La Soul that I've definitely heard of a couple of times, but I have yet to check them out for myself until now. How do I feel about them and their 1989 debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising? It's good! It's not perfect or anything, but I had a pretty good time with this one. It's noticeably more upbeat than most hip-hop albums released after it, but it's not in the realm of "cheesy" that I could place most 80s hip-hop albums in. It's got a feelgood attitude to it and I respect that. The production here is very impressive. This thing is chock-full of samples from artists like Funkadelic, Hall & Oates, Otis Redding, and Steely Dan. This would be impressive today, but in 1989? There wasn't really anything like this up to this point! And the songs sound great too! The group's three members, Posdnuos, Maseo, and Trugoy the Dove, all do pretty good with their rapping. Their rapping isn't mind-blowing by today's standard, but they have solid flows on the album. The album's got some pretty good songs here and there. "The Magic Number," "Eye Know," "Say No Go," "Me Myself and I," I could go on. "Eye Know" and "Me Myself and I" especially are just great. If there are two things that I can criticize this for, it would be the slightly-longer-than-necessary runtime and the fact that "De La Orgee" exists. Most of the skits on here are fine. The game-show theme is amusing and this was one of the first hip-hop albums to have skits, so I have to give the album props for innovation, but "De La Orgee" specifically is pretty bad. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I don't want to hear sex noises when I'm listening to an album. But other than that, 3 Feet High and Rising is a nice time. It's a classic for a reason. It innovated a good deal and it mostly holds up. I like it. Decent 4/5.

A good surprise -- maybe a little long, but a fun ride.

Eye heard lots of samplin’ de la album

I thought it was really goofy at first but the more I listened, the more infectious the music and beats became. The goofiness is it's main strength, making it timeless fun that doesn't take itself too seriously and had me smiling all day.

9/10… hip hop / funky / *1989

If this album doesn't make you smile then you're dead inside.

All time classic. Still great

Long time since I've listened to this. Skipped the skits but the rest stands up well. Lovely stuff.

5 stars ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ One of the greatest LPs of all time. Thank you for sharing RGP!!! Tom.

4/10

Perfectly fun hip hop, like listening to the in jokes of three close friends. While the skit isn't hilarious, it doesn't take up too much air space and it's well made up for by the clever stupid lyricism, wicked varied beats and really exciting collaborations. De La Soul are THE guys and this album is a work of art.

Not bad, but as with a lot of records from this era it just goes on too long

This is clearly a record where a group of bros are just broing. Nothing to be taken seriously, which creates for a light hearted fun listen. Probably wouldn’t go out of my way to listen again, as this kind of hip-hop fusion just isn’t my thing, but I can respect it.

3 might be the magic number. This is one of the best debuts we have heard so far. Fun Hip Hop so many times you hear this stuff and you wonder the state the creators were in and this really feels like a bunch of teens just making fun stuff and I would say it wins me over in that alone…

I know it’s a crime but this didn’t land with me. It’s kinda fun and funny but the beats are not my jam. When Q-Tip appears is probably the most interesting.

Como en It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back by Public Enemy, encuentro en este album los origenes de un genero que me encanta, con el estilo que me gusta. Muchos han tomado la posta que ellos empezaron a cimentar. No es un album con muchos hits, como en algun momento defini a las 4 estrellas, pero si tiene muchos detalles que otros repitieron y me encantan. El tema de la orgia me descoloco, pero esa es la idea. Una fina linea entre algo disruptivo, interesante y que no sea banal. Es una obra de arte, no una comercial. 4 estrellas por el reconocimiento

Reeeally long but it’s De La so it’s getting a good rating

I liked a lot of it, some of it had weird lyrics, not sure what I think about "De La Orgee" but besides that pretty solid

It was ok.

have heard that it’s good and I know 3 is the magic number also seen the cover a lot so excited. I never really like new york rap and i didn’t like this much either very boring and repetitive to me.

this album really drags on

I'm not really in the mood for this album today. Could be a 3 on other days maybe

Heerlijke lekker vrolijke en chaotische jaren 90rap.

I hate 'magic number' but there are some cool beats and vocals on here. Just not my scene.

Great late 80s vibe

Did not know this from the title or artist, but I recognized Eye Know from back in the day. Solid album that scratches that itch for classic Hip Hop, but not as good as a Tribe Called Quest.

Another Native Tongues record and the most iconic yet. De La Soul’s debut is one of the most loved hip hop albums for it’s groundbreaking use of over 60 samples from all sorts of musical influences, such as Johnny Cash, Otis Redding, Kraftwerk, Steely Dan, and Hall & Oates. As much as this revolutionary approach to a hip-hop record brought it immense popularity, De La Soul paid the price. It took decades of battling for the album to make it onto streaming services, finally arriving in March 2023, tragically, less than a month after the passing of Plug 2, Trugoy the Dove. On my first listen of 3 Feet High a few months ago, I wasn’t as fond of many of the beats and production and this held back the record from being something I strongly connected to. I still am not as into some of those earlier in the tracklist, such as the well-loved (3 Is) The Magic Number, but many later on grew on me. This album is a stark contrast to the high intensity of groups like N.W.A and Beastie Boys at the time, which I gravitate towards naturally, but this and the Tribe record are making me appreciate this sound and approach more. The strength in this record lies in it’s abstract nature, silliness, clever lyricism, and personality. Few records can touch it in these respects and I can see more on returning to it why it would be a favorite album for plenty. 1 re-listen Favorite Tracks: Me Myself and I, Eye Know

I like moooost of this. Fun. Easy to date this album.

An all time great

I couldn't handle hip hop back in the day. De La Soul's 3 feet high and rising was one of the albums that help me learn to appreciated an entire genre decades later. I still can't get into the skits, though.

Had never listened to this though obviously had heard of it. this came out two years before Screamdelica which is the album that immediately springs to mind. Super silly, light, fun sampling, danceable. I think my kid would love this

Bien dosmilero, buenardo

9/10

This is such a fun album.  It's sounds like they were having a big party while recording this and that sense of fun certainly transfers over to the listener. The added bonus of Q-Tip being in on a few tracks helps too. Liked Songs Added: (3 Is) The Magic Number Eye Know Buddy Me Myself And I This Is A Recording 4 Living In A Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.)

I love this album. So many iconic songs on this album and it has some parts that are just straight up comedy. It feels like they had a lot of fun making this album. Definitely an album to listen to with headphones iykyk

3.0

"De La Soul is from the soul" might be the most literal lyric I've heard in my life and I can't stop laughing

Love this album, remember buying it in 89 or 90, “3 is the Magic number”, and the other songs are all singable, loved playing it again yesterday

Didn't enjoy, proud of finishing it.

Old School mot Texten wie die Ärzte zur gleichen Zeit

I enjoyed this and would listen again, very fun and I like how you can really tell they’re having a great time. Reminds me a lot of one of my favorite albums Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. I like the game show theme and how well they carried it through the album.

I unfortunately don’t know enough about the genre to understand if this is ground breaking or not. It’s generally what I picture when I think about rap in the 80/90s and although I enjoyed it well enough I do think it dragged a little. That might be due to the skits - which I’ve never really enjoyed. The sample driven beats are great and the occasional turntableism too - it’s a nicely produced album with fun lines.

둠칫 둠칫한 느낌은 좋았지만 전체적으로 엄청 튀는 느낌은 아니었다. The groovy, rhythmic vibe was nice, but overall, it didn't feel particularly striking or standout.

Good, not very my taste but very good one

I'm sorry, I love hip hop, but this is one of the more overrated rap album. There are too many skits and sexual innuendo, while having so little flow that go beyond nursery rhymes.

I think this album has really done well despite its age, it doesn’t feel dated at all. De La Soul does a good job making this feel fun to listen to and they are also great writers, linking in good lessons into the music.

you need to take off one accessory before you leave the house. you smell like shit. your haircut sucks. your fit sucks. you got dandruff. be kind to yourself, but remember this. doesnt get much better than eye know

YES I've got this in my library, but I don't listen to it often enough. Thanks for making me listen to it again today.

How many times have I listened to this album in the past 35 years? At least 100. It's an absolute classic. The *only* thing that gets on my nerves are the skits. I've never liked them on any album... and this is the album that is largely credited for starting the trend. Still, the skits are just a blip in between some of the best hip-hop ever recorded.

Pretty good, great start, but starts to drag on, some songs felt longer that they should be

three stars for de la soul, one for de la soul radio - which i would definitely visit a bar playing

I'm a rap fan - it's my favorite genre of music, but I've never understood the hype around this album. The album's sound is pretty mediocre, most of the tracks sound like a stuck cassette tape playing on a loop. The lyrical content (still not too deep) makes up for it, and the album has some good moments, but still - it's a just an average album, not a precursor to the alternative hip-hop genre.

Not my type

Funny, whacky, and super playful! Some really silly songs in here.

I’m realizing that my problem with even good rap music is that I like the songs sampled. Lyrics are almost always uninspired overtop of a really beautiful or classic tune. I’d go for just a remix of the songs I like rather than this.

The first hip-hop album on the list to exceed my expectations. :D What a box of fun times! It's inadequate to say the beats are great; they are gateways to other worlds in their depth in ways that other old rap songs (and other old non-rap songs too) are not. And there are SONGS on this thing, not just beats! The skits are honest-to-god funny and don't overstay their welcome...why did later albums have such a hard time with this? But I guess we have these doofuses to thanks for all the 90s coitus skits? Thanks, guys. :/

I recognized a lot of the samples, but aside from that I found the whole thing pretty underwhelming Standouts (3 Is) The Magic Number A Little Bit of Soap 2/5

Классный интересный альбом, в целом понравился, но слушать повторно вряд ли буду.

Just not my thing. I found the skits lame and the borderline comedic lyrics also lame. That almost camp version of rap is to me just lacks purpose.

"I can hold my foot and count to three ... 3 is the magic number

This album was great. It's funny, it's vibey, it was a good fucking time. I liked it a lot, I can see why its talked about like it is.

Very fun and playful hip-hop album, I had a blast. Got nothing more to say.

This was a lot of fun! Just going on a scavenger hunt for the samples alone was really interesting! The rhymes are clever and witty, and it was really nice to listen to a hip-hop album. It didn't revolve around themes of intense gang violence, beating women, getting high… I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected.

This music is so out of my wheelhouse of Classic Rock and Metal, but I love it! So much fun, with creative layering of samples upon samples. Definitely may end up as one of my favorite albums.

One of the best Rap Albums of the decade! It incorporates electronic and experimental genres. There is a lot of diversity in the album and I really like it!

One really great song, the rest are okay. I guess that makes it a 3? Could have been a 4 if there were another great song or two.

You can tell De La Soul had a lot of fun making this album. Caught myself grinning a fair bit. As much as I can appreciate the cleverness of the album I don’t think it’s for me. But I am inclined to give it another listen!

I usually enjoy the nostalgia of late 80s hip hop but this didn't hit it for me

I liked a few tracks here but wasn't as big on this - it has something to it and it didn't particularly overstay its welcome but I wasn't as big a fan as I hoped

Quirky, awesome beats. I’m going to come back to this one.

Not bad

De La Soul are the torch bearers of Run DMC: A hiphop that isn't focus on the negatives and the cool, but just good beats and good fun. Alas, this hiphop is an exception, not the rule, and we're fortunate that DLS exist to show how things could be done. This album is not hit heavy but it's a good listen and a good fun.

This era of alternative hip hop is the most dimed in of all. The tracks; the lyrics, and just the vibe in general is second to none. It’s serious while being fun, it’s contemplative and it makes you move. I go back and forth on my feelings for hip hop but De La can always get me there!

This sounded like a lot of fun to make. I enjoyed it too.

an absolute fun and goofy blast. Me Myself and I is such a banger I am willing to forgive the songs that are just moaning lmao. 5/5 for this whimsical late 80s treat. 4 is justified as some songs did slack a bit.

I like their vibe and I like their singles, “Magic Number” and “Eye Know”. I have come around on sampling, and they do a nice job (although their catalog wasn’t available for streaming until 2023 because of said samples. Shame). But I now have to admit it. I do not like hip-hop. I wanted to like it. I like some songs, and some are catchy, but I wouldn’t buy this or intentionally put the whole record on. At least not for the albums that I have been served here. Except for Beastie Boys and Outkast so far. What that says about me IDK

I really enjoyed this. Super surprising to me.

Hell yeah an absolutely iconic album from an iconic group. Production levels through the roof and many grooves cultivated. A great week of albums this was. 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Eye Know

Its a fun album, it's not my go to type of hiphop, but this album obviously stands out a lot there isnt a lot else that sounds like it

Not a big hip hop fan but this album has a beat, melody, and lyrics you can hear. Very nice.

One of the best and very well made rap albums of all time. A pinnacle late 80s rap album, this album does it right and makes it unique with the background "plot" of game show contestants. It has some recognizable rap standards too that you're bound to know. My only quips with this was toward the end where I felt it could have ended better but maybe I was just bored by the end.

[4/5] hip hop. nice samples and doesn’t get boring despite 23 tracks. glitchy and scratchy show production is quite varied between songs. track notes: 1. lmao ur mum get rekt xd 2. i prefer 7 tbh. production a little boombox muddy 3. de la soul and the horn section 4. interlude so short i didn’t notice it 5. COWBELL but not being very nice about dante 6. complete tragedeigh of a name. surprise piano in the middle. the glitchy and scratchy show at the end 7. can’t believe mary is telling porkies 8. je mappelle john france 9. incredible sample of peg that fits so well, blasted out my eardrums on this out of choice 10. i don’t think this one will work on me, i am always wearing my horsemeat. hello horse, i shall call you tesco 11. countering the stank ass 12. a psychedelic out day at the zoo 13. need to protect your turf a bit better. get off my lawn 14. funk soul drug hating 15. drinking too much coke and eating too much lasagne that you need cough medicine 16. wide and menacing bassline 17. suspicious activity from saul 18. me arguing with people in the playground 19. what a nice introduction 20. knee deep in funk 21. little bit felt like i was running up the stairs. why not a recording 3 living in a fulltime era? 22. chaotic discovery of free will 23. enjoy when it switches up to a jungle soundscape just with daisies

I guess 3 really is the magic number, because I don't think I can give it any higher than that unfortunately. It was fun and I did enjoy it---and it's certainly better than modern hip-hop---but there was nothing that I thought was absolutely amazing, so it lands right in the middle. Rounding down from a 3.5/5

This was so unbelievably good.

Solid album. Enjoy this type of hip hop. Reminds me of Madvillain.

Masters

Pas l'habitude d'écouter des albums comme ça, c'était cool

This was the first rap album that I remember listening to when it came out. I was in college then and it was played on college radio. Loved it then, love it now. Really struck by their perfect use of samples by Hall and Oates, Steely Dan, and Otis Redding. It's hilarious, creative, and just a good time.

More than anything, 3 Feet High and Rising represents freedom. Just three freaky dudes from Long Island with a shared goofy sense of humor, not conforming and showing what hip hop could be. Putting on terrible Australian accents, rapping over yodelling, and using a sample from the legendary song Stand By Me to talk about someone stinking are just a few great parts of this. But the more serious songs are excellent too - I love Ghetto Thang, and Eye Know is one of my favorite songs period. Paved the way for a lot more room to experiment in the genre.

(3 Is) The Magic Number Ghetto Thang Do as De La Does D.A.I.S.Y Age

3 is the Magic Number Say No Go Plug Tunin’

Not a super fan of the album. (3 is) The Magic Number and Me, Myself and I saved it for me. Most of the tracks had the De La Soul sound and fun but lacked some substance. Not huge fan of the skits, but what hip hop album ever makes great skits.

It’s like hip hop but you can’t get truly offended by anything more than the silly lyrics. Though they’re sometimes offensively silly, it’s not all that bad. Still, I probably won’t play this album ever again.

Antiquated hip hop. When it's on, it's ON! It's just not that ON, that much. Fun, good samples but way too long. 3 is the Magic Number is the best song. Orgee song is not something I wanted to hear. 2

Love them but this needs a good producer !

This was decent. Good beats, some songs were more fun than others. Started to sound all the same after a while. Me Myself and I and Eye Know were familar tunes; the "interludes" were entertaining. A little long but overall I enjoyed it. (3.5)

Nothing stuck out to me but it wasn't awful Favorite song: me myself and I

Very rad hip hip! Loved the continuous narrative, and super fun to dance to

not the vibe i was looking for but good overall, lots of talking

Cool

Stupid

the debut album of hip hop group de la soul, an eclectic and sometimes psychedelic group of guys who challenged the sounds of hip hop music. around this time, gangsta hip hop started to become pretty prevalent around the music sphere; these guys ended up creating something that's almost the opposite. something that's not aggressive, or as vulgar, something more positive... many people called them hippies for their approach to hip hop music. the album is also known for its extensive usage of sampling and occasional skits. today, it's considered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums ever; the album only appeared on streaming a few years ago because of all the uncleared samples. samples. yeah they weren't kidding. there's a few hundred of them! sometimes you're going to sit down and you're going to hear a whole bunch rapid fire. it's literally like these madlads just have a gigantic stack of records and they're playing frisbee with them. this album really is a good time, it's a set of really good beats, jabs, and jokes. it's unserious but it still has lots of style and class... you have to think of what some people said about it when it first released... maybe hip hop can be light-headed and silly when it wants to be!

I think I convinced myself that I liked this in high school. But honestly it’s an irritating listen. Some great beats and funny moments but it’s just not my thing.

3 stars mid and stable. I can appreciate the creativity and fun they put into the album, but I didn't especially like any specific piece of music.

I was very distracted while listening to this today and it didn't get a fair shake, but I did like what I was able to listen to. That late 80s early 90s hip hop sound is usually pretty grating on me but this album didn't really set that off once i was able to settle in.

Trop trop trop bien !

Respect and admiration radiates through me when I see this album art. This is the record that pushed boundaries, that made sampling a business, and it's evidence of what music could turn into if today's red tape didn't get in the way. I think it's great some artists make a living off memorable music that allows itself to be reinterpreted, but on this record it's so free and wild that it does stop to smack you around a bit, it's a feeling that I rarely get with sample-forward music because they can't just up and do whatever they feel like, which really means that production of this type can only flourish in a live setting. I can appreciate every track, especially because of the evolution of old school. The rhyme schemes often have that classic '80s hip-hop influence, but it's all jazzing-out here and you can feel it on the vocals. The content of the poetry is better than decent, too, and the skits give the record a running concept, even though they're awkwardly short and scattered. I feel like with future technology, they would've stretched things out a bit more. With this historic context, 100% this is a must-listen album, it's just not an easy replay for me. It's dated, and the cool parts don't outperform the awkward bits. 3.4/5

mehh… nu mi-a prea placut deloc

I like the sense of humour

Iconic hiphop album. Every track is an winner. Fun(ky) as hell probably isn't. 5/5

Excellent.

One of my favourite albums of the era. Not too serious, just kids having fun.

Brings back some fond memories … not as good as I remember

Surprisingly fun and well done! I am not normally into any hip hop from the 80s, but this hit the right notes. Interesting beats, fun lyrics, varying styles, all well done. I didn't care for some of the skits, but that's par for the course in rap/hip hop albums.

I like this a lot, not enough to give 5/5 tho. I have listened to many rap albums in my life, and I can't recall any of the top of my head that came before this that incorporated skits. like

A long and very varied album. Very hard to rate just after a first listen. Somewhere between 3-4. ★★★½

i feel like a flower that has photosynthesised heaaaaaavily in just an hour

Not a big fan of “talking” rap but I like the old school lyrics instead of gangsta. The beats got a bit monotonous in some songs. I’ve never liked the studio type chatter and the fillers that made it into hip hop albums and this one had more than a little. I still will give a 3. It was different and ok to just let play.

47/100

In my opinion this is a "product-of-its-time" kind of album. At the time it might have been ground-breaking and amazing, but it fails to impress me in 2026. Sure they sampled a lot of different songs from different genres, but I think that's not that impressive these days. Is it a nice album to listen to? yeah sure, it is very funky and easy to play, as long as you skip the weirdly place "De La Orgee". Lyrics are well written and elaborate, and I appreciate that they don't use profanity or threaten other singers with murdering them or stealing their hoes. Again, this would go into my "background music for a gathering of friends" kind of music.

i mean, it will always be perfect, one of my first music loves. so, maybe i can't give it much of an objective listen, but music love is not reducible to merely objective criteria. while de la were one of the groups to popularize skits on hip hop albums, i have yet to come across any skits that hold up. the same is true here, though nothing is overtly "wrong" but just a bit unwelcome. still, perfection

Definitely a fun album and you can tell they had fun recording it but this is just way too long for my liking. I docked it a star for that reason.

Mitä lie huumoriräppiä tämä kait oli. Ei mitenkään mukavaa. Alko loppua kohden jo vähä ahistaa

Voihan hipiti hopiti sentään taas. Aikaansa nähden varmaan taas suuri ja erikoinen tapaus. Pari mukavasti korvaan osuvaa biisiä löyty pitkin levyä, mutta kaikennäköset välihälinät, hassutteluräpäytykset, hölmöt kasari/ysäribiitit ei vaan jaksanu lähteä. Kyllä tän taas kuunteli, mutta aika äkkiä meinas kyllästyminen tulla. Loppupäästä löyty ainaki yks valonpilkahdus mikä herätti vähän, mutta muuten aika keski, sekä verto.

wasnt bad for 90s rap

Was that The Crunge by Led Zeppelin to start the album?!!! That alone gives it an extra star!! Also sampled Steely Dan! I loved the concept of the game show, really tied the album together. They did a really good job with this album! Each song had a unique sound while still staying cohesive. It was a nice strong production sound. Shockingly I really liked this.

Presently surprised. Expecting something unlistenable. Found myself smiling sometime.

Not as bad as expected. Still not worth a future listen.

Goofy, fun 80s hip hop album

Ooo, super zaključek tedna! Mal je že odkar sm ta album nazadnje poslušala. Hip hop albumi k jih mam na stalnem rosterju majo valjda vsak svoj vajb in so primerni za različne priložnosti - ta je idealen za takrat, ko si že na splošno dobre volje & hočeš to sam še amplifiat. Par favoritov: "The Magic Number", "Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)", "Eye Know", "Say No Go", "Buddy", "Me Myself and I". Ampak! Cel album je a delight.

this is the smooth jazz of 80s rap music. A pleasurable listen for any music preference.

6/10

Rap for Redditors.

Solid

Mycket samplingar och loopar. Ändå melodiskt. En del utfyllnad. Hit med Me Myself and I.

Muy largo pero bueno, nada dañino Nota:3.0

de la soul, need i say more will i listen again ? always

a classic

Great fun and totally unique, up there with my all time favourite hip-hop albums.

Enjoyed revisiting this one. Very inventive and eclectic. Eye Know is a phenomenal song.

2/4

Favorite track(s): The Magic Number, Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge), Ghetto Thang, Eye Know, Tread Water, Buddy, Me Myself and I Heard before Previous rating: 8/10

Surprisingly innovative and felt fun. Could have done without the skits and short tracks. I get their place, but the songs are good enough to stand on their own without the cruft. Obligatory recording of sex scene halfway through the album. Samples are crazy inventive and lyrics are great. This is my first time listening to De La Soul. I'd probably pull a few tracks out to add to my playlist but wouldn't want to spin the whole album again.

It's hip-hop, which isn't one of my favorite genres. It's GOOD hip-hop, though, packed with clever lyrics, interesting samples, and great beats. And, as an added bonus, it's not about guns and drugs and sex (except in a few spots where it satirizes those tropes).

Intro insupportable Il a l’air super long Les prods m’ennuient beaucoup plus que Tribe en comparaison Ghetto thang : cool. Mais à la fois un peu mou ? Petit côté prétentieux ? Ah un sample de Steely dan ! En fait je trouve le (les ?) MC très yaourt nature De la orgee : c’est donc des bruits de femmes qui simulent, ok Busy : pas mal, en même temps il y a Q-TIP En fait je crois qu’ils me sont très antipathiques, même dans les skits Globalement corny et plutôt chiant

Fun album

Had a good time with this one, but one listen was enough. Nice sampling, good flow, just a bit overlong. I do like this older-school vibe more than gangsta rap.

so i’m more familiar with this, but idk how i was feeling this one definitely some dope shit on here

It seems like a lot of high rankings for this album are informed by some sort of appreciation for this albums uniqueness amongst its contemporaries. Perhaps it is because of my ignorance towards this idea that I’m rating it fairly lower than most. Simply put, alternative rap was 80% of what I was listening to in high school and the novelty of this album is thus less novel. This is still a great album though. It’s probably one of the most joyful records I’ve heard. Everyone seems so glad to be here amongst their friends and are spitting like such. I’ve also got a soft spot for a hip hop collective. You don’t get to hear the multiple personalities of a band as succinctly as you do in hip hop and it’s fun to ‘meet’ every rapper. That being said, holy shit these dudes most be friends for a while cause they all sound the exact fucking same. Actually impossible to tell who’s rapping, thank god they say their names in the verse so much. Mmmm is a 4/5

So much fluff. There’s so many skits and filler that it’s hard to get into the actual songs.

A hip hop classic, an album that shows that the art form need not be all bitches, hoes and keys of pure Colombian. The skits get in the way of the music; lose them and it would be a perfect album, to others it’s part of the charm but to me they are break the flow and add nothing 4..5

I've tried with this album before but it just doesn't click with me despite how critically acclaimed it is. There a few good tunes on it that I enjoyed but ultimately this isn't really my thing.

Of course, I already know this one! great album, super fun and whimsical. super funny too

i feel it for teen and to be honest i don't understand

De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising (1989) On Day 204, I dove into a definitive classic. This LP was incredibly fun and refreshing to experience, standing out as a brilliant change of pace in the sea of hardcore hip-hop that was coming out during those years, serving as the catalyst for an entire movement. The highlights across this great 60-minute session run incredibly deep, including "The Magic Number," "Change in Speak," "Buddy," "Tread Water," and "Me Myself and I." Another major standout was "Eye Know," a track I really liked and actually knew way before starting this challenge. The smooth vocal delivery from Kelvin and Trugoy (RIP) was truly one of one, and the sampling across the record was an absolute masterpiece. Prince Paul’s production capability is a complete masterclass, brilliantly flipping tracks like Steely Dan's "Peg." Even the skits and the trivia elements gave the entire LP a distinct, unified concept that ties back perfectly to the intro. A flawless 5/5.

Absolute classic, one of the most unique and entertaining rap albums of all time. The sample work on here is ridiculous, the group is perpetually underrated and the genre fusions, scope of influence and sheer audacity of this record is unbelievable. Always puts a smile on my face.

sooo happy :D

Wasn't too into the overly skittish 1st half but really liked some of what appeared to be the pre-album release later on (Buddy, Plug Tuning - +Tread Water). Along with Stone Roses and New Orders Technique one of the albums of the 90s that was released in '89 if yanno what I mean

Sorely disappointing. I remember this album with great fondness, so the truth of its mediocrity was hard to stomach. As a “90s” hip hop release, it’s skit heavy and overly long (obviously), but it’s also very weak outside of a few banging tunes. It also sounds very dated with plodding flows. It sounds like they had fun making the album, but the playfulness veers into immaturity too often. Summary: Needs heavy editing - there’s a 4 star EP in there somewhere 😎

They did that. 5.

Not a bad album, only heard a few songs before

Three Feet High and Rising is often identified as patient zero in the epidemic of skits on hip-hop albums, but I love it so much, I can’t even hold that against it. After all these years, it’s still as fresh as a D.A.I.S.Y and a showcase for how fun and inventive sampling can be. (And De La Soul’s gameshow skits are pretty charming.)

While I did not grow up listening to this record I am still very familiar with the impact it had. I know many of the songs and this is a very solid record. A little fun, and little lite, some serious stuff on it as well. Very good record.

The best ever

I didn't have the answers either.

This was a very good album. I feel like it deserves a relisten in a context where I can hear the lyrics better, but I had a good time with it.

Liked this a lot more than I expected, thought it'd be more conscious but it's closer to just a fun time.

Still find a lot of OG rap to be a bit repetitive with its flow, but De La Soul is just a fun time

tudoooooo

Awsome!

I enjoyed the silly narrations and the flow of their rap. I always like it when I can understand what they are saying and the topics were mostly uplifting.

Goofy and light-hearted, the traditional hip-hop skit presented is funny and entertaining. Enjoyable to listen to and not too juvenile, which I saw some reviews mention (none of their jokes are really crude enough to warrant that). Everybody in the world has dandruff!

Rating: 5.0/5 Short Review: Inventive, funny, soulful, and endlessly creative. This album completely rewrote the rules for hip-hop. Instead of aggression, it embraced curiosity. Instead of one musical palette, it sampled the entire world. Nearly 40 years later, it still sounds playful and fresh. Favorite Track: “Eye Know.” One of the warmest, happiest hip-hop songs ever made. The Steely Dan sample is pure magic.

Creative and kind of a lost art with well placed samples and multiple rappers

What a fun concept album! Enjoyed all the sampling (minus the horny one).

This was a fun one!

Just ok

I was looking forward to listening to this but it was somewhat underwhelming

I had fun listening and I'm sure they had fun making this album. One or two tracks were a bit short or I didn't like but overall a good listen.

this was a very unique album it was fun yet also serious and a lot of songs felt like remixes of older songs

se nota que es de la época de deee-lite, ta divertido

Seems like a fun time

5 is the magic number

this was an entertaining album, i didn't expect it to be hilarious. I loved the funny sketches throughout the albums. top picks: too many to list down but i've added 11 songs from the album to a playlist :)

This is the very first long rap/hip hop album (or maybe just long album in general) on this list that I wasn't extremely bored by or wondering when it would end. I liked how the beats were different throughout and it didn't feel repetitive.

I would not have been into this when it first came out, but fun and catchy hearing it now.

Very fun old school hip hop

5 palabras, increible de principio a fin

Great beats and production and overall an fun album to listen to. Biggest tragedy is that we don’t learn the answers to the 4 trivia questions. Likes: 3 is the Magic Number; Eye Know; Tread Water; Say No Go; Me Myself and I

So freaking good man. Incredibly fun, great beats, fun lyricism, extraordinary sampling, and one that I need to listen to a lot, lot more. Thank god they're streaming now.

I never listen to this before and love it

The intro was def interesting game show like how many times the bat mobile got a flat. BUDDY I DON’T KNOW Songs I like: 3 is a magic number Okay clean translation between songs cool breeze on the rocks to can u keep a secret. As well as Take it off and A little bit of soap.

Very good album. Love their jazzy and upbeat sound. (3 Is) The Magic Number is an amazing song, but Eye Know was also really good. The interludes were fun, but maybe the orgy one isnt the best to listen to in public. 7.2/10

Not my thing

As an early and fairly distinct sound and style in rap/hip hop, I think this belongs on the list. The album is interesting. The way they build their songs is interesting. But I also think this is a rather flawed album overall.

oki vajbi počitnški

Solid hip hop album. Front to back just good.

太好聽了

I say this with alll the love and respect in the world to tribe, this album is so fun and enjoyable it makes the low end theory sound like harsh noise in comparison

2/5

I know was early days for this style of music but I still can't really get into it and don't think it aged all that well. Very representative of the times.

mais um q me decepcionei. pior q ri bastante com a intro, mas o album inteiro é gimmicky, com piadas ruins e uns beats cartoon. nao é meu tipo de rap nota 4,0

3 is the magic number, you know.

Quite interesting and inventive with fun sections rather and some jokes. Some bits annoyed me, also it was an hour x

This is actually pretty good!

Basically a perfect album, I don't really care for the skits, but hey, you get some pretty darn good music outside of that.

the energy in this is just so fun and playful.

A fun record. After awhile the beat got a little too repetitive. Old school hip hop

love me an album that's not just random songs thrown together! yes fun story gametime baby!

how is this from 89 it feels so modern even just the album cover looks like its from 2020 de la orgee genuinely made me feel sick

Great album. I think if I had listened to it earlier than recently it would have had a bigger impact on me.

This album was amazing listening to. I am a big fan of hip-hop and a little bit of R&B. But this shattered my mind. It had some really great lyrics, vocals, and editing features of the late 80s. I’m definitely recommending this. And it has to be one of my favorites so far.

Solid, not better than quest tho

Nice inoffensive fun

Fun, funky, creative...this is legendary.

It was a good one. I was bracing for the skits, but they weren't too bad. Solid album art too.